In early 1990, there was an increase in the failure of M825A1 projectile bursters to function during projectile firings. This was subsequently determined to be due to the presence of voids or cracks with the A-5 explosive within the burster tube. Each such failure results in the loss of hundreds of dollars of U.S. Army funds.
Even though it is required that each projectile burster be x-rayed to detect voids, cracks or foreign materials with the explosive, these x-rays are not consistently reliable. The problem in x-raying the projectile burster contents is that the x-ray must pass through the dense metal burster tube and accurately x-ray the less dense explosive material. Prior to the present invention there was no way to ensure that an absence of indicators on the developed film indicated explosive consolidation rather than a failure of the equipment to detect cracks, voids or foreign material through the metal tube walls caused by mis-calibration or mis-focus of the x-ray machine.